Our country is facing some major problems. Our leaders continue to spend trillions of dollars on unnecessary wars. Our healthcare system is the most expensive in the world. And, carbon emissions continue to destroy the world’s climate.

When Washington prepared his farewell address, he cautioned the electorate about the dangers to our Union: regionalism, partisanship, and foreign entanglements. Fast forward to today, and our Union is divided through gerrymandering, extreme partisanship, and we have been entangled in wars and Russian influence in our elections for years. Instead of protecting our Democracy, the Republican Party has been instrumental in becoming the catalysts towards destroying our Union. For decades we have watched their unwillingness to work across the aisle and acknowledge the existence of those who have differing opinions. Mitch McConnell has hundreds of bills sitting on his desk collecting dust, he’s focused entirely on changing the judicial landscape to favor his agenda and has firmly sided against calling first party witnesses to the President’s impeachment trial.

Washington’s fears are now a reality that we must face. Our country needs us. Future generations will be looking back at this crucial time in our Democracy and raise the question: What did you do for our country in that most important time?

Individually, the monumental task of righting the wrongs in our Democracy can seem daunting, however I have great faith in our electorate when we work together. The Democrats in Collin County have a unique opportunity to be on the right side of history by registering more voters, volunteering for our candidate campaigns, and getting out the vote. All of us must band together and work in a unified strategic direction to ensure Collin County turns blue.

Go to the Collin County Democratic Party website: collindemocrats.org and click on “Get Involved” today. Become a sustaining donor to the Party. Join the movement in 2020 to right the wrongs in our Democracy by helping to elect candidates to office who will work to unify our country, listen to the electorate, and solve the issues our communities face.

“I came late to Collin County Democratic Party,” Billye Johnson admitted. “I had always voted the Democratic ticket but this election threw me for a loop. After the 2016 election, I spent a month in misery fueled by chocolate and pasta. Then I attended an information session with the CCDP and it pulled me out of my post-election depression.”

Attending the Ann Richards Dinner seemed like a natural progression for supporting the Democratic Party in Collin County. Keith Ellison, the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, was the keynote speaker and his words inspired everyone in the huge room to work harder to get Democrats elected. While the Ann Richards Dinner always drew respectable crowds each year, the 2017 event attracted over 600 attendees who were ready to fight and win.

Keith Ellison fired up the crowd to work hard, contribute and make that huge difference. Everyone who attended that night remembers his stirring words – “You can’t win broke.”

“We were ready to do what it took to get out the votes and support the candidates with our funds and our efforts,” Billye recalls. “We were in a war to save our nation and we were ready to fight.”

The Ann Richards Dinner is the biggest fundraising event for CCDP. With your help we will work to turn Collin blue. Join us at the Ann Richards Dinner on April 18 and be in the room where it happens in 2020.

C
CDP will repeat its successful VOTE-A-PALOOZA EVENT all day Monday, February 3rd, which is the last day to register to be eligible to vote in the March 2020 Primary. Come join in the fun and bring friends and family that need to REGISTER.

By the time you read this our faithful, conscientious, and hard working Treasurer, Diane Bolak, will have filed another round of campaign finance reports with the Texas Ethics Commission and the Federal Elections Commission. Few people understand that she is personally liable for the timeliness and accuracy of these reports, or of the time it takes to prepare them - and all as an unpaid volunteer.

Please join us in thanking Diane the next time you see her!

T Minus 26 Days

Voter Registration Deadline - February 3

February 3 is the voter registration deadline for the Primary Election.

Early voting starts February 18 and goes to Feb 28. Election Day is March 3.

We are still hiring clerks and judges in anticipation of a record turnout in the 2020 Primary, especially for Election Day, March 3rd. These are paidpositions. On Election Day, all workers are paid $12 per hour. We are continuing to enlist clerks for Early Voting. Although the need is not as great, we do want to have some substitutes ready.

To sign up: E-mail elections@collindemocrats.org or call the Primary Administration Team at 469-609-0539. Specify your desired role as Clerk or Judge/Alternate Judge. You can specify the area of the County you prefer to work in. Listed here are polling locations where we have the greatest need to fill spots for Election Day, March 3rd.

ELECTION DAYMarch 3rd POLLING LOCATIONS THAT STILL NEED WORKERS

Aldridge Elementary School - Richardson

Anna City Hall

Armstrong Middle School - Plano

Benton Staley Middle School Frisco

Bethany Elementary School – Plano

Blue Ridge ISD

Carpenter Middle School – Plano

Celina ISD Admin

Christ Fellowship Church - McKinney

Christ the Servant Church – Allen

Christ United Methodist – Plano

Clark High School - Plano

Collin College – Preston Ridge- Frisco

Dowell Middle School – McKinney

Evans Middle School – McKinney (replaces Gay Library)

First Baptist Church – Princeton

Haggar Elem. School - Dallas

Miller Elem. School – Richardson

Renner-Frankford Library – Dallas

Royse City ISD

Stonebridge UM Church – McKinney

Terry Pope Admin - Nevada

Woodcreek Church – Richardson

UTD Callier Center

Training is provided at the Collin County Elections Office, 2010 Redbud in McKinney [Map]. We will send you the Training Schedule for both Election Law and Voting System Training when we confirm your appointment. It is very important that you attend training, especially because we have a new Voting System.

Carpooling is available from the Party Office in Plano (972-578-1483).

Sharon4TX House Party

Come out and meet Sharon, talk about the issues, and enjoy friendly conversation. We look forward to seeing you there!

Join the Plano Area Democrats for their monthly meeting on January 18th. This month we will be joined by several Texas Supreme Court candidates in addition to local judicial candidates. There will be a panel discussion followed by audience Q & A.

When: Saturday, January 18th (Doors open at 11:00 a.m. and the meeting starts promptly at 11:30 a.m.)

FDC January General Club Meeting. The first meeting of the most important election year of our lives. Come out and join us to hear what's going on as we prepare for the primary election, a city election and a general election in 2020.

FDC welcomes a number of statewide and local candidates, highlighted by our keynote speakers, U.S. Senate candidates - Houston City Councilwoman, Amanda Edwards and Senator Royce West, to Frisco.

Are you still deciding who your HD 67 candidate will be? Do you want to ask the candidates questions? What issues will be most important to you in 2020?

You don't want to miss the Plano Area Democrats and WOW Dems HD 67 candidate forum! Our moderator is civil rights activist and former Texas Senate District 8 candidate Mark Phariss. Join us on Saturday, February 1st at 1:00 p.m. at the Collin College Spring Creek Conference Center.

There is no cost to attend, but please RSVP at the link below!

However - it does cost Plano Dems to host events at Collin College! The RSVP page includes a link to donate to help offset the cost of the forum. Please consider donating $10-$20 to help us pay for this event, and to help Plano Dems keep bringing you candidate forums!

Our service project for January is Minnie's Food Pantry. Please bring the following items that the pantry needs:

Pasta sauce

Hamburger Helper Meals

Mixed vegetables

Jelly

CCDWD Meeting January 20, 2020

(﻿One Time Venue Change)

You don't have to live in Collin County to participate... Light refreshments available. For this meeting only we'll meet at the Collin County Democratic Party Office located at 1915 N Central Expy #150, Plano, 75075 [Map].

Join Better Angels and Friends of the Allen Public Library to see how to effectively discuss divisive issues and build a stronger republic. Better Angels: Reuniting America is a 50-minute documentary about what happened before, during, and after a “lively” Better Angels Red/Blue workshop where Democratic and Republican voters gathered to discuss potentially divisive issues with understanding and respect.

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote at the Women Organizing Women Democrats 2020 Women of Courage Gala and Casino Night on Saturday, February 29 at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano. We will donate 100% of our profits to our endorsed candidates of 2020.

You’ve got until February 5th to buy your ticket at our early bird price and then until about a week before the event to secure your ticket, so go to our website wowdems.org/2020Gala and buy your tickets today!

Yes, We Can Talk Politics

Drinking Liberally and Living Liberally are informal, inclusive progressive social groups. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics.